As businesses adopt permanent hybrid work models, employees access company data from multiple locations: corporate offices, home setups, and client sites. While this flexibility boosts productivity, it presents a significant management challenge for internal technology leaders: unmanaged and out-of-date laptops.
When company devices operate on disparate operating system versions, lack disk encryption, or skip critical security updates, they create vulnerable entry points into your network.
To maintain security without burdening your staff, growing organizations utilize Microsoft Intune, a cloud-based endpoint management solution included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Microsoft Intune allows businesses to establish standardized compliance baselines, automate routine system updates, and protect corporate data on every workstation.
Automate System Maintenance with Windows Update Rings
Manually reminding employees to restart their laptops for operating system updates is inefficient and unreliable. Postponed updates leave workstations exposed to known software vulnerabilities.
Through Microsoft Intune, IT administrators configure automated Windows Update Rings:
- Scheduled Maintenance Windows: Operating system updates and quality patches download silently in the background and install during non-business hours.
- Controlled Feature Rollouts: Major software updates are tested and validated before widespread deployment, ensuring compatibility with core line-of-business applications.
- Compliance Reporting: Centralized dashboards provide real-time visibility into update status across all company hardware.
Safeguard Physical Devices with Centralized BitLocker Management
Laptops and mobile devices are inherently vulnerable to physical loss or theft. If an unencrypted laptop is left in a vehicle or airport terminal, sensitive company data and client records can be accessed directly from the hard drive.
Microsoft Intune resolves physical security risks through automated policy enforcement:
- Mandatory BitLocker Encryption: Disk encryption is enforced automatically across all company Windows laptops without requiring user intervention.
- Cloud-Backed Recovery Keys: BitLocker recovery keys are securely backed up to Microsoft Entra ID, allowing IT administrators to assist locked-out users quickly.
- Remote Wipe Capabilities: If a device is reported lost or stolen, administrators can initiate a remote wipe command to purge company data immediately.
Enforce Device Health Gating with Conditional Access
Securing your cloud environment requires verifying that connected hardware meets basic security standards. By pairing Microsoft Intune with Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access, businesses can establish strict device health requirements:
- Health-Based Access Control: Workstations must demonstrate active firewall protection, current antivirus signatures, and mandatory disk encryption before connecting to Microsoft 365 services.
- Automated Non-Compliance Quarantine: If an employee device falls out of compliance, access to company SharePoint and Outlook repositories is automatically restricted until the issue is remediated.
Dedicated Endpoint Management for Growing Businesses
Deploying and maintaining Microsoft Intune requires consistent policy reviews, custom configuration profiles, and proactive help desk support.
At Applied Solutions Group, our engineering team manages Microsoft 365 environments to ensure seamless compliance and system stability
By combining Microsoft cloud management tools with our dedicated support desk, your business gains enterprise-grade device security with predictable monthly management costs.
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